Equities in Toronto finished negative on Tuesday, as losses in the energy and consumer discretionary sectors offset gains in gold stocks.
The S&P/TSX Composite dipped 52.38 points to end the day at 14,870.63,
The Canadian dollar remained negative 0.4 cents to 74.91 cents U.S.
EnCana Corporation took some of the biggest bruises in the energy field, losing 57 cents, or 3.9%, to $13.88, while Baytex Energy moved lower 13 cents, or 2.3%, to $5.50.
In the consumer discretionary area, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers slipped 52 cents, or 1.1%, to $46.20.
Among tech stocks, Constellation Software plummeted $10.45, or 1.8%, to $582.04, while BlackBerry shares dipped 10 cents, or 1%, to $9.72.
Gold, however, shone, as Kinross Gold leaped 19 cents, or 3.8%, to $5.21, while Yamana Gold hiked 16 cents, or 3.2%, to $5.14.
Among materials, Lundin Mining gained 24 cents, or 4.7%, to $5.31, while Teck Resources climbed 69 cents, or 2.5%, to $28.15.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange made it to within 0.46 points of breakeven to 785.68
All but two of the 12 TSX subgroups were lower Tuesday, with energy off 1.6%, while consumer discretionary stocks down 1.1% and information technology lower by 1%.
The two gainers proved to be gold, up 2.7%, while materials prospered 1.9%
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks south of the border closed lower on Tuesday as one of the busiest days of the earnings season got underway, while oil prices slipped.
The Dow Jones Industrials dumped 53.76 points to 18,169.27, with Home Depot leading decliners and Procter & Gamble the top advancer.
The S&P 500 slipped 8.17 points to 2,143.16, with consumer discretionary leading nine sectors lower and utilities and consumer staples the only advancers.
The NASDAQ composite index dropped 26.43 points to 5,283.40
More than 90 companies were scheduled to post quarterly results on Tuesday. Dow components 3M, Caterpillar and DuPont reported earnings before the bell.
Caterpillar and 3M posted mixed results, as both beat estimates on the bottom line, while missing on revenues. Caterpillar also lowered its 2016 earnings per share guidance.
Under Armour shares fell more than 10% despite posting better-than-expected results. Tech giant Apple is scheduled to report quarterly results Tuesday after the bell.
In economic news, consumer confidence hit 98.6, with economists polled by Reuters expecting confidence to hit 101.5. Meanwhile, U.S. home prices rose slightly in August from July, with the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-City Composite index gaining 5.1% year over year.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury gained slightly, lowering yields 1.76% from Monday’s 1.77%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices sank 71 cents to $49.81 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices climbed $10.90 to $1,274.60 U.S. an ounce.
